By Wisdom Deji-Folutile and Gideon Adonai
The footballing world was plunged into deep mourning on Thursday evening when it was reported that Brazilian football legend Edson Nascimento, better known as King Pele, died aged 82.
Pele, arguably the most recognizable name in football history, was being treated for colon cancer and had been in and out of hospital since removing a tumor in September 2021.
The Brazilian icon had in late November been admitted back into Albert Einstein Hospital, Sao Paulo, where he was diagnosed with a respiratory infection. He was subsequently moved to palliative care when his body became unresponsive to treatment.
The footballing world was plunged into deep mourning on Thursday evening when it was reported that Brazilian football legend Edson Nascimento, better known as King Pele, died aged 82.
Pele, arguably the most recognizable name in football history, was being treated for colon cancer and had been in and out of hospital since removing a tumor in September 2021.
The Brazilian icon had in late November been admitted back into Albert Einstein Hospital, Sao Paulo, where he was diagnosed with a respiratory infection. He was subsequently moved to palliative care when his body became unresponsive to treatment.
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Achievements
Pele ended his life as the most celebrated football star in the history of the sport.
The three-time World Cup winner was voted World Player of the Century in 2000 and named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century. He received the first-ever FIFA Ballon d’Or Prix d’Honneur in 2014, whilst analysis showed he would have won the Ballon d’Or a record seven times if it had existed during his career.
Pele’s 21-year domestic career saw him represent two clubs. Debuting in 1956 for boyhood team Santos, he made 636 appearances for the club prior to spending two years with New York Cosmos of the now-abolished North American Soccer League. Upon retirement in 1976, he had scored 655 club goals in 700 games.
Pele led his country to three World Cup title wins in 1958, 1962, and 1970 and was widely regarded as one of the best players to ever play the game. Pele scored an astonishing 77 goals in 92 games for Brazil and averaged almost a goal a game during his club career, which spanned from 1956 to 1977.
Football stars pay tribute
Tributes poured in all Thursday evening as news of Pele’s death sent shockwaves across the football world.
French star Kylian Mbappe wrote on Instagram: “The king of football has left us but his legacy will never be forgotten.”
Brazilian defender Thiago Silva posted an image on his Twitter account of Pele doing an overhead kick.
Silva also wrote: “Forever the King of football, the Legend! Rest in peace, Pele.
“You have changed the History of football. Your legacy will always be in our hearts. Thanks for everything!”
Cristiano Ronaldo posted a picture of himself receiving an award from Pele and captioned the post: “My deepest condolences to all of Brazil, and in particular to the family of Mr. Edson Arantes do Nascimento.
“A mere “goodbye” to the eternal King Pele will never be enough to express the pain that currently embraces the entire world of football.
“An inspiration for so many millions, a reference from yesterday, today, forever. The affection he always showed for me was reciprocal in every moment we shared, even from a distance.
“He will never be forgotten and his memory will live on forever in each of us football lovers. Rest in peace, King Pele.”
REST IN PEACE PELE #LEGEND PIC.TWITTER.COM/YBDRYKFMZP
— JESSE LINGARD (@JESSELINGARD) DECEMBER 29, 2022
Argentina’s World Cup winner Lionel Messi posted a picture on Instagram of him with Pele with the message: “Rest in peace, @pele.”
Cameroon Football Federation President Samuel Etoo called Pele “the best ever”.
“Today, we say goodbye to the best ever Rest in eternal peace, Pele, you’ll be missed my millions and millions. Legend ,” he wrote on social media.
R.I.P THE “KING” #PELE PIC.TWITTER.COM/MAQGX5TUDH
— MICHAEL ESSIEN® (@MICHAELESSIEN) DECEMBER 29, 2022
Neymar, who equalled Pele’s Brazil goals record at the World Cup in Qatar, paid tribute on his Instagram account.
The 30-year-old Brazilian forward thanked Pele for giving a “voice to the poor and to black people and visibility to Brazil.”
Neymar wrote: “Before Pelé, 10 was just a number. I read that phrase somewhere, at some point in my life. But that sentence, beautiful, is incomplete.
“I would say that before Pelé, football was just a sport. Pele changed everything.
“He turned football into art, into entertainment. He gave a voice to the poor, to black people, and especially: Gave visibility to Brazil.
“Soccer and Brazil have raised their status thanks to the King! He is gone, but his magic remains. Pele is ETERNAL!!”
EVERYTHING YOU SEE ANY PLAYER DOING, PELÉ DID IT FIRST. RIP PIC.TWITTER.COM/SEW0Z1HQTM
— ERLING HAALAND (@ERLINGHAALAND) DECEMBER 29, 2022
Clubs, sports associations pay respects
Arsenal said on Twitter: “We are truly saddened to hear the news of Pele’s passing. As a club, we had the privilege of hosting Pele in 1981, at Highbury. A memory we will always cherish. Our thoughts, along with the entire football community are with Pele’s loved ones today.”
Tottenham said on Twitter: “The Club is saddened to learn of the passing of one of football’s all-time greats, Pele. Our thoughts are with his family and our fans across Brazil at this sad time.”
Chelsea have now also published a statement on Twitter.
It read: “Farewell to the King. The master of the beautiful game. Rest in peace, Pelé.”
Santos, the Brazilian club where Pele made a name for himself as the greatest player of his generation, posted an image of a crown captioned, “Eternal” on their official social media.
FC Barcelona said Pele made football “greater than ever”.
The Catalan club wrote on Twitter: “Barça expresses its sorrow to learn of the death of the “Rei” Pelé, one of the greatest footballers of all time. He made football greater than ever. May he rest in peace.”
BARÇA EXPRESSES ITS SORROW TO LEARN OF THE DEATH OF THE “REI” PELÉ, ONE OF THE GREATEST FOOTBALLERS OF ALL TIME. HE MADE FOOTBALL GREATER THAN EVER. MAY HE REST IN PEACE. PIC.TWITTER.COM/R8TQBVYN28
— FC BARCELONA (@FCBARCELONA) DECEMBER 29, 2022
Manchester United thanked the icon for the joy he brought to football fans around the world.
REST IN PEACE, PELE.
THANK YOU FOR THE JOY YOU BROUGHT TO FOOTBALL FANS AROUND THE WORLD PIC.TWITTER.COM/YPO6NGXDQS
— MANCHESTER UNITED (@MANUTD) DECEMBER 29, 2022
FC Bayern president Herbert Hainer said Pele will forever be remembered: “as one of the greatest characters in footballing and sporting history”.
“The FC Bayern family is mourning with fans from all over the world for Pelé, who will forever be remembered as one of the greatest characters in footballing and sporting history. If you think of football, of the beauty, the magic of this game, you think of Pelé. There will never be another like Pelé in this world,” he said to the club’s website.
Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn said, “Pelé was a personality made up of over 1,000 goals – and much more: he inspired and thrilled generations of fans all over the world, on and off the pitch. Even people who have never seen him play live know about his unique magic. Pelé is one of the few immortals of our time.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino paid tribute to Brazil’s famous icon, saying Pelé “achieved immortality a long time ago”.
“Today, we all mourn the loss of the physical presence of our dear Pelé, but he achieved immortality a long time ago and therefore he will be with us for eternity,” Infantino said via the FIFA website.
GOODBYE PELÉ, YOUR LEGEND WILL LIVE ON FOREVER PIC.TWITTER.COM/YNNRZCJWBH
— ITALY (@AZZURRI_EN) DECEMBER 29, 2022
The Man who stopped a War
World Footballing body FIFA, wrote a tribute to Pele on their website.
The football organisation recounted the legendary fame and lore of the player, noting that a ceasefire was called during the Nigerian Civil War because the Brazilian was playing a game against the Super Eagles.
“Between one and two million people died during the Nigerian Civil War from 1967 to 1970. Astonishingly, a 48-hour ceasefire was called between the Nigerian government and the secessionist state of Biafra in 1969 so they could watch Pele and Santos draw 2-2 with the Nigerian Super Eagles, with ‘The King’ receiving incessant applause and a standing ovation from the home fans,” FIFA wrote.
Journalists, pundits pay tribute to the King
Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano called the Brazillian star “a man with God-given talent”.
He wrote: “Brazilian legend Pelé has passed away at 82, one of the greatest of all time who changed the game.
A man with a god-given talent, one of the names who will remain forever in the memory. All thoughts with the family. RIP, legend ”
READ ALSO: Pele’s lying in state, burial set for Monday, Tuesday
World Cup records
Pele is the youngest scorer, youngest hat-trick scorer, youngest final player and youngest final scorer in World Cup history.
Gunnar Gren, who competed against Brazil in the 1958 decider, made his Sweden debut before Pele was born. Never has such an age gap – 20 years – existed between opponents in a World Cup final.
Pele became the second man to score in four World Cups in 1970. He was pipped to the record by merely three minutes by West Germany’s Uwe Seeler.
Vava, Pele, Paul Breitner, Zinedine Zidane, and Kylian Mbappe are the only players to have scored in two World Cup finals.
Pele registered six assists at Mexico 1970 – a record for one World Cup. Four players managed five: Robert Gadocha in Germany 1974, Pierre Littbarski in Spain 1982, Diego Maradona in Mexico 1986, and Thomas Hassler in USA 1994. Pele also recorded an unprecedented three assist in deciders: one against Sweden in 1958 and two against Italy in ’70.
Pele’s glorious career in numbers
Following Pele’s death, the PA news agency has taken a look back at his remarkable career record.
3 – the record number of World Cups won by Pele, in 1958, 1962, and 1970.
17 – Pele’s age in the 1958 tournament – he remains the youngest man to play in a World Cup final and to score a World Cup hat-trick.
3 – goals in World Cup finals – two against Sweden in 1958 and one against Italy in 1970.
77 – goals for Brazil, a record that was recently matched by Neymar.
1,281 – Pele’s career goal tally, according to FIFA’s official website. The disputed total includes friendly games.
767 – his goals in official matches, as tracked by the Rec Sport Soccer Statistics Foundation. Those goals came in 831 games.
1,089 – goals for his long-time Brazilian club Santos – though again, friendlies are included. The RSSSF lists his competitive record as 643 in 659 games, the most by a player for any one club until surpassed by Lionel Messi’s 672 for Barcelona.
2 – clubs represented in his career – Santos and the New York Cosmos.
6 – Brazilian league titles won with Santos – every year from 1961 to 1965, plus 1968. He added the 1977 North American Soccer League title with the Cosmos.
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